Good morning, readers. It’s Thursday, Oct. 9, and the forecast is again for mostly sunny skies around Santa Cruz County as we warm into the 60s and 70s.
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Christopher Neely reports on the case of Leif Ames, who is charged with first-degree murder in the March 2020 stabbing of friend Hubert Cross in Live Oak yet remains out on bail despite objections from the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office and Cross’ family. Ames is scheduled to face a jury later this month after myriad delays in a saga that many, including Cross’ widow, say raises serious concerns about the local justice system.
Some county residents who have homeowners insurance through the last-resort California FAIR Plan could see premiums increase by up to 50% under a proposal before the state Department of Insurance, Hillary Ojeda reports. A Fair Plan spokesperson told Lookout that the plan’s rates must be able to sufficiently pay for the cost of claims and losses from high-risk consumers and also pay for the high-risk insurance pool’s operating expenses.
A bill requiring battery storage developers to coordinate with local fire departments before submitting an application for their projects is now law after getting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. As Tania Ortiz reports, state Sen. John Laird of Santa Cruz authored Senate Bill 283 in the wake of January’s massive fire at a storage facility in Moss Landing.
The Thursday headlines also include a new executive officer for Santa Cruz County, what we found out in the latest county crop report and plenty more. Onward.
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Nearly six years after being charged with killing his friend, Leif Ames is out on bail and has yet to face a jury. How?
Years after he was charged with fatally stabbing Hubert Cross 23 times, former Live Oak resident Leif Ames remains out on bail with few restrictions. Local attorneys say it is highly unusual for someone charged with first-degree murder to remain out of pre-trial custody, a fact the victim’s family says raises serious concerns about the local justice system. Christopher Neely digs in.
Some county homeowners face proposed insurance rate hikes up to 50% as FAIR Plan struggles with fire risk
Nearly 11,000 Santa Cruz County residents insured through California’s FAIR Plan could face average fire insurance rate hikes of nearly 36% starting in 2026 as part of a statewide proposal submitted to the Department of Insurance. The increase reflects rising wildfire risks and insurance market shifts, though regulators say new rules are aimed at stabilizing coverage statewide. Details here from Hillary Ojeda.
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Thank you as ever for reading, and have an excellent Thursday.
Will McCahill